Windshield wiper arm



@et 319 1950 a.. zAlGER 2,528,258

WINDSHIELD WIPER ARM Filed Oct. 1l, 1945 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Oct. 3l, 1950 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICEv4 y WINDSHIELD WIPER ARM Louis` Zaiger, Swampscott; Mass.'

Application october 11, 1945,.seria1 Na. 621,721 Y (c1. 1545er 9 Claims;

' This invention relatesf` to windshield wiperv arms.-

Such arms arecommonlyl made with: an inner member 'which is attached to the actuating shaft, an outer. blade-carrying member which is pivotallyV connected to the inner member, and a spring v Fig. `1 is a side view offa' portion'of a windshield wiper arm'embodiedin my invention;

Fig. 2 is an'enlarged sectional View. Fig.; 3 is a perspectivey Viewv of thet fulcrum member with parts broken out; lig.l 4, is anl underside viewfo-fiFig; 2.

Figs 5 andvr 6 are fragmentary sectional Views.`

showing different positions of 4the cam by which If'hespring pressure is varied.,

,.:Figpl is'asejctionion the linelI-,-'IFig. 2. y Fig.v 8-is afragrnentary View illustrating the means.. for adjusting theecam that'.v controls the spring pressure. i l

Fig; 9is; an enlargedrsection on the-line l9-.-!I, Fig,y 4.-

Fig. 10 isian enlarged-section on the line I ll-I 0, Fig. 2. Y

Fig. 11 is asectionalview4 showing a modified formof the invention.

-Fig. 12vis a section on the line I2-I2, Fig. 11.

The wiper herein illustratedI comprises an innersection-I which. `is-rigidlyattached to the operating ,shaft 2 .andan outer section 3 having raschannel shapewhichfispvoted to the inner section by the pivot pin 4 as usual in windshield Wiper-arms;A said outer section having at its innerfendithe two ears or-extensions which embraceithegiend of the lsinner member andV through n 1 In` Windshield.wiperiarms of this ltype it isv customary. vtd-provide Aal1 spring Y. elementi=- which' 2 biases the outer section 3 and provides the desired spring pressure' ofthe wiper blade against the windshield glass. In the present invention this spring memberis' a leaf spring 'I which is' fulcrumed intermediate of its endsl on` a furl crum membercarried by the -outer section3, the inner end y9 of the leaf spring 1 bearing against aA rolllfwhichiscarried by the' outerend of the inner section I, and the outer end II of said springl bearing: against an adjustable cam ele' menti by which the'flexure or =bias action of the spring 'Iv may be'varie'd. i

In the construction shown in Figs'. 1-6, the fulc'rum member is indicated at 8 and is formed on"anA inner casing element I3 which is received betweenthe side-walls I'Sof the channel shaped outer `arm section-3. Said inner casing is formed with two side walls I4 and the connecting back wall I5-y said member thus having a channel shapez The" back wall I5'iss1it and a portion 8 thereof is bent upfat right angles thereto thereby providing the fulcrum member.

The side-walls I4 extend inwardly beyond the back wall |15l as indicatedl at I6 and the-portions I6of theL inner casing member I3 are provided with apertures I1 through which the pivot pin 4 extends'therebyanchoring Athe inner end of the inner casing I3 to'rtheouter section 3.

The back wall I5 of the inner section I3 ex'- tends outwardlybeyondthe side walls I4 vasshown at I8 andV this extension I8 is received' between-the outer'portions of the-side walls I9 of' thefouter section 3 and is heldin place by tabs 20` frmedon the side walls I9 which are bent overnwardly'to overlie the extension I8 as best seen in Fig. 42. Each side walll 9 is also shown as having another tab 2 I which is bent over the back .edge ofi the. corresponding side wall I4 of the inner casing I3 at the point where the fulcrum member 8 is'struck` up,\said'tabs 2| serving as a further vmeans. for rmly anchoring' said inner section I3in place.

'The camf element, shown i at I2, which `bears against the outer end I I of the spring- 'I ismounte'd within the outer. arm section and is adjustable to varythe flexure of thespring I. In the construction shown in Figs. 1-6 this adjustmentv is secured by moving the cain longitudinally ofthe armlfsection 3; When the calm element isin the position' shown in Fig. 6, it bears against the end Ilofzthespringl with a minimum pressure and` therefore; the spring will have a relatively light bia-sing action on the outer arm section-'3'. When' th'eacam 'element is moved to the .left into fthe postionzashown inlig..r 5,' itappliesffan" increased 3 pressure against the outer end H' of' the spring 1 thereby flexing said spring and causing the inner end 9 thereof to bear with increased pressure against the roll I0. When the parts are in this position, the spring will have an increased biasing g received a crank pin 2l depending from a disk 28 which is located on the inside of the front wall 24 of the outer arm section 3 and which has a stud 29 rigid therewith that extends through said wall and is provided with a screw driver slot 30. The

lcrank pin 21 is eccentrically carried by the disk 28, and as a result, when the stud 29 and disk 28 are turned, the crank pin 2l operating in the slot 26 will move the shank 22 and the cam member I2 longitudinally of the wiper arm.

Fig. 5 shows the parts positioned with the crank pin 21 at the extreme inner end of its throw, while Fig. 6 shows the disk 28 and stud 29 positioned with the crank pin 2'! at the outer end of its throw. Y

Inasmuch as the stud 29 projects throughthe front w-all of the outer arm section 3, the screw driver slot 30 will be at all times accessible to receive a screw driver or other implement for making any necessary or desired adjustment in the position of the cam I2.

, The shank 22 of the cam element is received between the side walls I4 of the inner casing member I3 and is guided thereby as seen in Fig. 12. The end 25 of the shank in which the slot 26 is formed is, as stated above, wider than the body of the shank, said widened end 25 extending from one side wall I9 of the outer arm section to the opposite side wall. The side walls I4 of the inner casing member I3 are cut away as indicratedat to receive the Side edgesof the widened portion 25 of the shank 22. -Said inner widened end 25 of the cam element is thus held in position by the side walls I4 of the inner casing section where they are cut away as at 43, and the outer end of said cam element is retained in position by its engagement with the end II of the spring 7.

In Figs. l1 and l2 I have illustrated a different form of the invention wherein the fulcrum member is in the form of a cylinder 43 which rests on the back wall I5 of the inner casing section I3. This cylindrical fulcrum member 43 may be' retained in position in any approved way. As herein shown, said member is provided with a central bore 44 and a portion of the walls I4 of the inner casing section I3 are bent inwardly into the ends of the bore 44 as shown at 45.

. The inner end of theextensible blade-carrying portion 6 of the outer arm section 3 is received between the outer end 3l of theextension I8 and the front wall 24 of the outer arm section 3. Such outer end 3l of the extension I3 is provided on its inner face with two ribs 32 on which the extension G rests, and I will also preferably form two ribs 33 on the inner side of the front wall 24 of the outer arm section so that the extensible part 6 is confined between two pairs ci ribs 32, 33. The advantage of this construction is that it reduces the danger of the part 6 sticking or binding and it facilitates the adjustment of the inner casing I3 is also deformed to present` a stop rib 35. The engagement of the protuberance 34 on Ythe extension 6 with the rib 35 serves to limit the extending movement of the part 6 and prevents it from being entirely withdrawn from the outer arm section 3.

I claim:

l. A windshield wiper arm comprising an inner shaft-engaging section, an outer channel blade-carrying section pivoted to the inner section, a fulcrum member carried by the outer section, a leaf spring extending longitudinally f of said outer section and having its median portion loosely resting on said fulcrum member, the inner and outer ends of said spring being free andv located on opposite sides of said fulcrum member, the inner end of said spring bearing against a part of the inner shaft-engaging section, a cam element carried by the blade-carrying section and bearing against the outer end of the spring, and means to adjust the cam to vary the pressure thereof against the outer end of the spring thereby tovary the flexure of the spring over the fulcrum member and consequently the spring pressure for the wiping contact of a blade carried by said outer blade-carrying section.

2. A windshield Wiper arm comprising an inner shaft-engaging section, an outer channel bladecarrying section pivoted to the inner section, a fulcrum member carried by the outer section, a leaf spring fulcrumed intermediate of its ends on said fulcrum member, the inner end of the spring bearing against a part of the inner tection, a sliding cam element mounted on the outer blade-carrying section and having a shank portion and a cam portion at one end of the shank portion, which cam portion bears against the outer end of said spring, and means to adjust the cam element longitudinally of the bladecarrying section thereby to vary the exure of the spring over the fulcrum member and consequently the spring pressure for the wiping contact of a blade carried by said outer section. Y

3. A windshield wiper arm comprising anwinner shaft-engaging section, an outer channel blade-carrying section pivoted to the inner section, a fulcrum member carried by the outer section, a leaf spring fulcrumed intermediate of its ends on said fulcrum member, the inner end of the spring bearing against a part of the inner section, a sliding cam element mounted on the outer blade-carrying section and having a shank portion and a cam portion at one end of the shank portion, which cam portion bearsV against the outer end of said spring, and means accessible from the front of the outer section to adjust the cam element longitudinally thereof thereby to vary the iiexure of the spring over the fulcrum member and consequently the spring pressure for the wiping contact of a blade carried by said outer section.

4. A windshield wiper arm comprising an inner shaft-engaging section, an outer channel blade-carrying section pivoted to said inner section, a fulcrummember stationarily carried by the outer section, a leaf spring extending longitudinally of said outer section and having its median portion resting loosely on said fulcrum member, the inner and outer ends of said spring being free and located on' opposite sides of said fulcrum member, the inner end of the spring bearing against a part of said' inner shaft-engaging section, a member carried by the outer blade-carrying section and bearing against the.

outer end of the spring, and means accessible froml the front of said outer blade-carrying section to vary the pressure of said member against the outer end of the spring thereby to vary the flexure of said spring over the fulcrum member and consequently the spring pressure for the wiping contact of a blade mounted on said outer blade-carrying section.

5. A windshield wiper arm comprising an inner shaft-engaging section, an outer channel blade-carrying section pivoted to the inner section, an inner casing member situated within the channel of the outer arm section and proe vided with a stationary fulcrum member, a leaf spring located Within the inner casing section and fulcrumed intermediate of its ends on said iulcrum member, the inner and outer ends of the spring being on opposite sides of the fulcrum member and the inner end of the spring bearing against a part of the inner section, a cam element mounted on the outer blade-carrying section and bearing against the outer end of the leaf spring and means to adjust the cam longitudinally of the outer section thereby tov vary the fleXure of the spring over the fulcrum member and consequently the spring pressure of the wiping contact of a blade carried by said outer section.

6. A Windshield wiper arm comprising an inner shaft engaging section, an outer channel blade-carrying section pivoted to the inner section, an inner channel casing member situated between the side walls of the outer arm section and having its open side facing in a direction opposite to that of the channel outer arm section, a fulcrum member carried by the inner i casing member, a leaf spring located within said casing member and fulcrumed intermediate of vits ends on said fulcrum member, the inner end of said spring bearing against a part of the inner arm section, a slide situated within the casing member and having at its outer end a cam portion bearing against the outer end of the spring, each side wall of the casing member being cut away adjacent its inner end, said slide having a wide inner end, the edges ,of which overlie the side walls of the casing member where they are cut away whereby said slide is held in place by the casing member, and means to adjust the slide with its cam portion thereby to vary the pressure of the spring against said part of the inner arm section.

7. Aewindshield wiper arm comprising an inner shaft-engaging section, an outer channel blade-carrying section pivoted to the inner section, an inner channel casing member situated between the side walls of the outer arm section and having its open' side facing in a direction opposite to that of the channel outer arm section, a fulcrum member carried by the inner casing member, a leaf spring located within said casing member and fulcrumed intermediate of its ends on said fulcrum member, the inner end of said spring bearing against a part of the inner arm section, a -slide situated within the casing member and having at its outer end a cam portion bearing against the outer end of the spring, each side wall of the casing member being cut away adjacent its inner end, said slide having a wide inner end provided with a transverse slot, the edges of said wide inner end overlying the side walls of the casing member where they are cut away, a crank disk carried by the front wall ofthe outer arm section, a crank pin carried by said disk and operating in said slot, and means accessible from the outside of the wiper arm for turning the crank disk thereby to adjustthe slide longitudinally of the wiper arm.

8. A windshield wiper arm comprising an inner shaft-engaging section, an outer channel blade-carrying section pivoted to the said inner section, an inner channel casing member situated between the side walls of the outer arm section and provided with a fulcrum member, a leaf spring located Within the casing section and fulcrumed intermediate of its ends on said fulcrum member, the inner end of the spring bearing against a part of the inner section, a cam element mounted on the outer blade-carrying section and bearing against the outer end of the leaf spring, means to adjust said cam thereby to vary the flexure of the spring over the fulcrum member, the back wall of the inner casing member being extended and located between the side walls of the outer arm section, and an eXtensible arm section having its inner end conned between the front wall of the outer arm section and said extension of the back wall of the casing member, the opposite faces of the outer arm section and casing member extending between which the arm extension is located, both being provided with ribs bearing against said arm eX- tension.

9. A windshield wiper arm comprising an inner shaft-engaging section, an outer Achannel blade-carrying section pivoted to the inner section, a fulcrum member carried by the outer section, a'J leaf spring fulcrumed intermediate of its ends on said fulcrum member, the inner and outer ends of the spring being on opposite sides Y of the iulcrum member and the inner end of the spring bearing against a part of the inner section, a cam element mounted on the bladecarrying section and engaging the outer end of the leaf spring, and means to move the cam element longitudinally of said outer arm section thereby to vary the flexure of the spring. LOUIS ZAIGER..

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the le of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 2,289,552 Rousseau July 14, 1942 2,326,402 Smulski Aug. 10, 1943 2,353,203 Whitted July 11, 1944 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 558,640 Great Britain -1 Jan. 13, 1944 

